Chapter 122: The Sacred Demon Appears

Musu’s eyes were fixed in a vacant stare. He had never witnessed such a harrowing sight. Countless statues of gods lay toppled upon the ground—images once held as supremely sacred, now discarded like refuse. It was beyond comprehension. Just as Lingyu had said, if the scene before them were leaked to the outside world, the consequences would be unimaginable; one could only guess how many faiths would collapse.

Lingyu, too, was momentarily lost in thought. Though this was not her first time in this place, the sight still stirred deep emotions within her. She had read accounts in her own sect of this land where gods once gathered. It was said to have been covered in divine flora, with holy relics scattered everywhere and celestial apostles standing guard over the temples. It was a place every believer longed to visit, yet now, it had become this—a sight that left one heavy with sorrow.

"Enough with the sentimentality. Let’s move; we still have a long way to go."

Unlike Musu and Lingyu, who were lost in their reflections, Zhou Tian felt no such urge to express his emotions. The victor writes the history, and the loser faces the consequences; it had been that way since time immemorial. Had the other realms been the ones to fail, the current situation would likely be reversed.

Hearing Zhou Tian’s words, Musu and Lingyu snapped out of their reverie. Looking somber, they both nodded and began to walk.

Due to the harsh environment, Lingyu cast a purple shield to envelop her body, shielding her from the sky-filling sand. The grit pelted the barrier, sending ripples across its surface. Musu did the same, casting a milky-white shield of his own.

Zhou Tian spat out a mouthful of sand. He looked at Lingyu, who was as alluring as she was beautiful, then at the stone-faced Musu. He decisively sidestepped toward Musu, flashing a grin that revealed his white teeth.

"Little Mu, how have I treated you lately?"

Musu offered a helpless look, fully aware of what Zhou Tian wanted. He extended his shield to encompass them both.

Lingyu watched with a hint of confusion. She could not understand why Zhou Tian would not cast his own protection. Though she could not gauge his true power, the terrifying wind blades he had unleashed that day remained vivid in her memory. In her view, anyone capable of such a feat could not possibly be weak.

"Why don't you cast your own protection?"

Zhou Tian, currently enjoying VIP treatment beside Musu, pondered the question for a moment before replying.

"Do you know the primary prerequisite for becoming the King of Gods?"

"..."

Lingyu turned her head away. *I should have kept my mouth shut.*

They were not the only ones in the Plains of Myriad Gods. They hadn't traveled for even a quarter of an hour before encountering others—or rather, humanoid beings.

They had ash-green skin and robust frames; even the smallest among them stood twice as tall as Zhou Tian. Their eyes were as large as copper bells, with tusks protruding from their mouths. Clad only in beast hides, they rode wolf-like mounts that were nearly ten feet long, with black fur, sickly green eyes, and bared teeth, saliva dripping onto the ground.

The group was far larger than Zhou Tian’s, numbering in the dozens. They walked through the sandstorm without any protective measures at all.

When Zhou Tian noticed them, they noticed him, too. Although they outnumbered Zhou Tian’s party more than tenfold, they actively steered clear, maintaining a distance that ensured safety for both sides.

"They are of the Beast God sect. They were once known for their ferocity and valor, but now, even they have learned to endure and retreat," Lingyu remarked with a sigh. This was merely a microcosm of the many sects in the Land Abandoned by Gods. Having lost the backing of their deities, many sects and races had changed in one way or another.

As they continued, they encountered more people, but no conflicts arose. Either Zhou Tian’s group would yield, or the others would. No one wished to invite trouble, until...

"They have been following us, subtly but persistently," Lingyu said, her eyes flickering as she spoke to Zhou Tian.

"Do you know who they are?"

Zhou Tian watched the group, who clung to them like a bone-deep infection. They were short, dressed in strange garments, and had been trailing them ever since their first encounter, no matter which path they took.

"They are from the Shadow Sect—a minor sect. The Lord of Shadows does not hold a high position among the gods."

The Lord of Shadows? Zhou Tian’s mind flashed back to the group that had ambushed them in the void. He remembered that one of them had been a Shadow God-Lord.

"So, they’re planning to make a move?"

"That seems to be the case. But a bunch of rats from the sewers dare to target me!"

Lingyu offered a fierce, ruthless smile. Runes swirled around her hands as energy gathered, ready to strike.

Zhou Tian looked silently at Lingyu, who was radiating the air of a mobster. Such a fine girl, he thought, lamenting how she had been raised.

Just as he was about to speak, Zhou Tian’s eyes narrowed. A figure emerged from the sandstorm. Dressed in long, snowy-white robes, the person stood out starkly against the yellow haze. White hair fluttered behind him, and an invisible barrier seemed to wrap around his entire body, keeping every grain of sand at bay.

"Someone is coming out of the plains!" Lingyu said, frowning. Seeing people in the Plains of Myriad Gods was not unusual, as everyone was heading toward the Mountain of Myriad Gods, but coming *out* of the plains was different.

The man seemed to have a clear destination, heading straight toward them. However, due to the angle of his approach, the Shadow Sect members happened to be in his path.

Clearly, the Shadow Sect members noticed him, too. But the battle Zhou Tian and his companions expected never occurred. As soon as the Shadow Sect members swarmed him, the man made no move, yet every single one of them transformed into small, shimmering, iridescent creatures about the size of a thumb. They fluttered transparent wings, dancing around the white-robed man, making him appear like a deity descended to earth—supremely sacred.

Zhou Tian narrowed his eyes. *What a showy way to make an entrance. Looks like a big shot; not someone to be trifled with.*

Lingyu’s expression was grave. This man was unimaginably powerful. To forcibly transform one living being into another—such a feat was terrifying, a miracle only a god could perform. She could only pray that he was merely using an illusion, or that their group was not his target.

However, to Lingyu’s dismay, the white-robed man, accompanied by the small sprites, did not continue walking. Instead, his figure flickered, and he appeared directly in front of them.

The man reached up to pluck a mischievous sprite from his head. A look of helpless amusement crossed his妖冶 (alluring) and handsome face. His lips were red, his teeth white, and his expression was as warm as the winter sun. His eyes were brilliant, as if suns, moons, and stars were rotating within them. He spoke softly:

"Zhou Tian, I’ve solved a little trouble for you. You really ought to thank me."

His tone was as familiar and intimate as that of a friend who had not seen one another for a long time.